Budget — Vietnam

Vietnam offers outstanding value for money for European travellers. The benchmark €50/day/person covers comfortable accommodation, three meals (including one decent dinner), local transport and site entries. This national average masks significant variation — major cities (Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi) and Ha Long Bay cruises are pricier than rural regions.

By category. Accommodation: hostel dorm €5-10 (150,000-300,000 ₫), decent guesthouse double €15-30 (450,000-900,000 ₫), boutique hotel with breakfast €35-80 (1,000,000-2,400,000 ₫), luxury resort at Phu Quoc or Hoi An €100-300 (3,000,000-9,000,000 ₫/night). Food: pho or banh mi from a street stall €0.90-1.50 (27,000-45,000 ₫), full meal at a local restaurant €3-7 (90,000-210,000 ₫), mid-range tourist restaurant €10-20 (300,000-600,000 ₫), fine dining in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City €30-60. Local transport: Grab motorbike €1-3 (30,000-90,000 ₫), Grab car €2-6 (60,000-180,000 ₫), local bus €0.15-0.40. Activities: site entry €1-5 (30,000-150,000 ₫), Ha Long Bay 2-night cruise €180-450, Hoi An cooking class €25-45, Cu Chi Tunnels with transport €15-25.

Essential practical tips. The Grab app is non-negotiable for urban travel — it eliminates haggling with xe om (motorbike taxis) and unlicensed cabs. The official exchange rate runs around 27,000 ₫ to the euro — beware street changers offering 'favourable' rates with lower-denomination notes slipped into the bundle. Withdraw dong from ATMs (Vietcombank and BIDV generally charge lower foreign-card fees). Pick up a local SIM (Viettel or Vinaphone) at the airport on arrival: a 30-day data plan costs €5-10 with solid 4G/5G coverage across the country including rural areas.